Switch and commutator type programming device



Nov. 3, 1964 W. E. WILSON ETAL SWITCH AND COMMUTATOR TYPE PROGRAMMINGDEVICE Filed Aug 9, 1962 INVENTORS WE N DELL E. SON GEORGE H.008 STE/N-36 EDMUND B. o'us:

cums AJ-IEA y FILE. 5 kw 13M United States Patent "ce 3,155,783 SWITCHAND QOMMUTATGR TYPE PRGGRAMMENG DEVICE Wendell E. Wiison, Minneapolis,Minn, George H. Doherstein, 9906 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis 20, Minn,Edmund B. QNeill, Hopkins, Minn, and Chris A. Healey, Minneapolis, Minn,assiguors, hy mesne assignments, to George H. Doherstein, Minneapoiis,Minn.

Filed Aug. 9, 1962, er. No. 215,850 Qlairns. (Ci. zoo-2s The presentinvention has relation to programming devices and more particularly to arotating drum type programmer utilizing two peripheral rows ofcommutator bars arranged in axially aligned pairs of bars and having aseparate switch between each pair of bars so that the individual pairscan be selectively electrically con nected or insulated from each other.

In a device made according to the present invention, a drum having aplurality of axially alined, spaced pairs of commutator bars on theouter surface thereof is rotatably mounted and adapted to be driven at agiven rate of rotation. The pairs of commutator bars are arranged in twoseparate peripheral rows and spaced evenly around the outer periphery ofthe drum. A separate switch is positioned between the two axiallyaligned bars of each pair of commutator bars and is movable fromposition wherein the commutator bars of its respective pair areelectrically connected to position wherein the commutator bars of thepair are insulated from each other.

A separate brush or wiper is positioned to independently contact each ofthe peripheral rows of commutator bars on the outer surface of the drumas the drum rotates. The wipers or brushes are also axially alined withrespect to the drum so that each wiper contacts a separate commutatorbar of each pair simultaneously. Thus with the switch between the pairsof commutator bars in position to electrically connect the bars of apair there will be an electrical contact through the wipers, commutatorbars and switch. A circuit wired through the wipers is closed when thewipers contact the connected pair of bars to cause a certain or givenevent to happen. As the drum rotates, the electrically connectedcommutator bars will move away from the wipers and the circuit connectedthrough the wipers will no longer be completed through the original pairof bars.

By having a plurality of pairs of commutator bars evenly spaced aroundthe outer periphery of the drum and arranged in peripheral rows as wellas a plurality of switches for selectively, electrically connecting thetwo bars of each pair, a given sequence of operation can be programmed.A controlled circuit can be closed or opened for any predeterminedlength of time and with any desired frequency.

It is an object of the present invention to present a rotary programmerwherein the frequency and period of the programmed signal is easilychanged.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a programming device made according tothe present invention enclosed in an outer cabinet;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken as on line 2-2 inFIG. 1 and includes a partial schematic diagram of a programmed circuitutilized with the device of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on line 33 in FIG. 2illustrating a contactor switch in an on position;

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially on the same line as FIG. 3 with aswitch in an ofi position; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken as on line 5-5 in FIG. 2

3,155,783 Patented Nov. 3, 1964 showing pair of brushes or wipersutilized with the device of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings and numerals of reference thereon, anindustrial programmer device illustrated generally at 10 includes anouter cabinet 11 that has a shaft 12 rotatably mounted therein. Anelectric motor 13 drives shaft I12 and is connected through electriclines 14 to a suitable source of electric power (not shown). A pluralityof programming drum assemblies 15, as shown in FIG. 2, are mounted onshaft 12. Each of the drums is fastened to the shaft with a separate key1.6. Thus as the motor 13 turns shaft 12, the drums will rotate indirection as indicated by arrow 17.

The drum assemblies each have a center web 29 and a pair of integralannular outer ring members 21. The ring members 21 are positioned onopposite sides of the web 29. A plurality of commutator bars 23 areevenly spaced around the outer periphery of each of the ring members 21.The bars thus make two rows around the periphery of the drum. Thecommutator bars are electrical conductors and the outer surfaces of thebars are raised from the surface of the ring members. The bars arearranged in axially aligned, spaced pairs and are also annularly spacedapart and insulated from each other. in a conventional or usualapplication there will be sixty commutator bars spaced in a row aroundthe periphery of each of the ring members 21 and together the rows form(iii pairs of commutator bars.

A separate connector insert 24 is joined electrically to each of thecommutator bars. A separate radially extending opening 25 is defined inthe drum between the commutator bars of each pair. Each of the connectorinserts is open to the radial opening aligned with it. Thus theconnector inserts are also axially alined in pairs and are facing eachother on opposite sides of the radial opening 25 with which they areassociated.

A separate switch plug assembly 26 is radially slidably mounted in eachof the radial openings 25. The switch plugs include recessed portions 27in which a metal spring contactor 23 is positioned. The spring contactor28 is fixed with respect to the switch plug in the lower area of theplug, as at 31. The legs of each of the spring contactors 28 areelectrically connected together and are normally biased to moveoutwardly in direction as indicated :by arrows 32.

A pair of annular ring type stop members 33, 33 are integral with theweb 20 and project into each of the radial openings 25. The stop membersserve to prevent he switch plugs 26 from going radially inwardly too Asseen in FIG. 3 when a switch plug 26 is pushed down against stop members33, the outer ends of its spring contactor 2S slip into provided detents34 in the connector inserts. Thus there is an electrical connection fromone of the commutator bars 23 to the other of the commutator bars 23 ofthe corresponding pair.

When a switch plug 26 is pulled outwardly as shown in FIG. 4, the outerends of the spring contactor are positioned in detents 35 provided alongthe interior surfaces of each of the radial openings 25. The springcontactor no longer contacts the connector inserts and thus thecommutator bars of the pair are insulated from each other and there isno longer an electrical connection therebetweeu.

Electrical signals are carried from the commutator bars through providedwipers or brushes 36. A separate wiper or brush 36 rides on each of theannular rows of commutator bars. The wipers or brushes are exactlyaxially aligned also, so that when a first of said brushes is contactingone of the commutator bars of a pair, the second of said brushes iscontacting the other commutator bar of the pair. Thus when the connectorplug is pushed s eaves inwardly to its closed position, there is anelectrical connection through the plug and bars to the brushes.

The brushes 36 are further insulated from each other, and are connectedthrough a junction block 37 independently to separate wires, such asthose at 40.

As can be seen, the wires dill can be connected through a battery orsource of electromotive force 41 to a solenoid 42 that can operate aswitch 43 to close an independent circuit and perform a given operation,emit a signal or accomplish some other action to be monitored. Aseparate end entirely distinct operation can be monitored by each of thedrum assemblies and any number of circuits can be operatedsimultaneously by adding extra drum assemblies to the programmingdevice. The drums can be rotated at substantially any desired speed upto 60 r.p.m. Up to 30 on-off cycles per drum revolution per circuit canbe obtained in the form as shown, with sixty connecter plugs around theperiphery of the drum.

The frequency of o-n-off cycles can be easily controlled by moving asuitable number of connector plugs to either the on or the ofi position,as desired. In the on position the spring contactors create a connectionbetween opposite ones of the pairs of commutator bars and an electricalcircuit is completed when the wiper brushes contact the commutator barsof the pair. The brushes are made so that there is a continuous contactfrom one commutator bar to the next commutator bar in each annular rowas the drum rotates in order to prevent arcing. If two adjacent switchplugs 26 are in the on position, there would be an uninterrupted circuitas the drum rotated across these two bars. This is accomplished bystaggering the individual elements 44 of the brushes 36, as shown inFIG. 5.

In the form of the invention as shown, the contact plugs are manuallyoperated, although they can be adapted to be automatically operatedthrough the use of solenoids or similar mechanism. Thus a program on thedrum could be changed automatically to suit varying conditions of theprogrammed system.

Operation As an example of operation of the device, it can be assumedthat the drums are being driven by motor 13 at the rate of onerevolution per hour. With sixty pairs of commutator bars around theperiphery of the drum, this would mean that the brushes 36 would be incontact with each of the pairs of the commutator bars for an averagetime of one minute. Thus if there is a pro-gram wherein a circuit is tobe closed for five minutes and then opened for five minutes, five of theswitch plugs are placed in the closed position, then the next five onthe periphery of the drum are placed in the off or open position; thenext five in the on or closed position, and so on around the peripheryof the drum. As the drum rotates, the circuit is completed through theclosed switch plugs and then broken when the brushes contact commutatorbars which have the switch plugs in the off position.

To change the programming it is necessary only to switch the properswitch plug to its desired position in order to achieve the properlength of time of circuit completion and the frequency with which it isto be com-' pleted.

When the overall length of the cycle is to be changed, it is merelynecessary to change the drive gearing or the drive motor to obtain theproper speed of rotation. The device can be useful in. programmingchemical processes and other industrial programs, as well as circuitryfor use with television and radio receivers.

What is claimed is:

1. A programming device including:

a base,

a drum assembly rotatably mounted on said base,

means for rotating said drum assembly at a predetermined rate,

a plurality of commutator bars fixedly attached to said drum, saidcommutator bars being arranged to form two separate peripheral rows anda plurality of pairs of commutator bars, said bars each having a brushcontacting surface and the surfaces of the bars of each row lying on acontinuous peripheral surface around said drum, each of said commutatorbars being insulated from the other bars,

a pair of brushes, each of said brushes fixedly mounted with respect tosaid base in position tobe in sliding contact with the brush contactingsurfaces of the bars of one said rows of commutator bars as said drumrotates, said brushes being positioned to simultaneously contact onecommutator bar of each pair as said drum rotates, and,

a separate switch positioned between each pair of commutator bars andmovable from an on position wherein its corresponding commutator barsare electrically connected to an 05 position wherein its correspondingcommutator bars are insulated from each other.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said switches areradially slidable from said on position to said oil position.

3. The combination a specified in claim 2 wherein said brushes are ofconfiguration to provide an electrical connection from one commutatorbar in each of the rows to the next adjacent bar in the same row as saiddrum-...

rotates past said brushes.

4. A programming device including:

a base,

a shaft rotatably mounted on said base,

a drive motor positioned to drive said shaft at a predetermined rate ofrotation,

at least one programming drum drivably mounted on said shaft, said drumhaving a central web member and a. pair of ring members integraltherewith, each of said ring members being positioned on one side ofsaid web member,

a plurality of commutator bars attached to each of said ring members,said bars having outer brush contacting surfaces lying in a continuousannular surface, and forming two annular rows around the periphery ofsaid rings, one bar of each row being axially alined with one of thebars of the other row to form a plurality of pairs of commutator bars,

said web member of said drum being provided with a plurality of radiallyprojecting openings, each of said openings being positioned between andalined with the two bars of one pair of said commutator bars,

a separate contactor switch slidably mounted in each of said radiallyprojecting openings of said web, said switch being movable from a firstposition wherein a coutactor element of said switch electricallyconnects the two commutator bars its associated pair to a secondposition wherein said commutator bars of its associated pair of .barsare insulated from each other, and

a pair of brushes fixedly mounted with respect to said base, eachpositioned to contact one annular row of commutator bars, said brushesbeing axially alined so that they simultaneously contact the two axiallyalined commutator bars forming each pair.

5. The combination as specified in claim 4 wherein said contactorswitches are manually manipulable.

References (Jilted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,980,772 Doberstein Apr. 18, 1961 3,061,692 Fowler, et a1. Oct. 30,1962

1. A PROGRAMMING DEVICE INCLUDING: A BASE, A DRUM ASSEMBLY ROTATABLYMOUNTED ON SAID BASE, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUM ASSEMBLY AT APREDETERMINED RATE, A PLURALITY OF COMMUTATOR BARS FIXEDLY ATTACHED TOSAID DRUM, SAID COMMUTATOR BARS BEING ARRANGED TO FORM TWO SEPARATEPERIPHERAL ROWS AND A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF COMMUTATOR BARS, SAID BARSEACH HAVING A BRUSH CONTACTING SURFACE AND THE SURFACES OF THE BARS OFEACH ROW LYING ON A CONTINUOUS PERIPHERAL SURFACE AROUND SAID DRUM, EACHOF SAID CUMMUTATOR BARS BEING INSULATED FROM THE OTHER BARS, A PAIR OFBRUSHES, EACH OF SAID BRUSHES FIXEDLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASEIN POSITION TO BE IN SLIDING CONTACT WITH THE BRUSH CONTACTING SURFACESOF THE BARS OF ONE SAID ROWS OF COMMUTATOR BARS AS SAID DRUM ROTATES,SAID BRUSHES BEING POSITIONED TO SIMULTANEOUSLY CONTACT ONE COMMUTATORBAR OF EACH PAIR AS SAID DRUM ROTATES, AND, A SEPARATE SWITCH POSITIONEDBETWEEN EACH PAIR OF COMMUTATOR BARS AND MOVABLE FROM AN "ON" POSITIONWHEREIN ITS CORRESPONDING COMMUTATOR BARS ARE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TOAN "OFF" POSITION WHEREIN ITS CORRESPONDING COMMUTATOR BARS AREINSULATED FROM EACH OTHER.